Non-Faith Based Private School Reccommendations Lakewood/Lake Highlands (Dallas, Plano: day care, neighborhood)

[Lostinspace78]

Hello, we recently moved from Denver to Dallas. My son was going to the Aspen Academy in Denver and really loved the curriculum and the community there. A last minute move brought us to Dallas where he is attending public school at Hexter.

My wife and I are currently looking for an excellent non-faith based private Elementary school in the Lakewood/Lake Highlands area. We are not opposed to driving him further out if the merits of the school warrant it. We’d be thankful for any insight and rec’s.

Thanks

[debtex]

Most of the privates in the neighborhood are religiously affiliated, the only one that isn't that I would recommend is Lakehill. Besides that you're looking at Greenhill, St. Mark's and Hockaday.

[cordata]

Lakehill Prep
White Rock North School
White Rock Montessori
Lakewood Montessori


Highlander school does say "founded on Christian Principles" but may be worth checking out.


If you go west you have all the usual suspects that are discussed here..


Greenhill
Lamplighter (up to grade 5)
Dallas international school
Alcuin School
Westwood school

St Mark's School of Texas ( very loose religious affiliation)


Go south and you have the Kessler School.


Good luck and keep us posted. I'm sure you know you have picked the exact wrong time to apply to private school. Having said that, if you are not going for the "elite" schools you may be able to find something.

[75214Dad]

Originally Posted by cordata

Lakehill Prep
White Rock North School
White Rock Montessori
Lakewood Montessori

These are indeed the options and Hexter provides a better education than all of them. Why are you unhappy with Hexter?

[debtex]

Originally Posted by 75214Dad

These are indeed the options and Hexter provides a better education than all of them.

That's a pretty definitive statement, and incorrect to boot as educational quality is dependent on the needs of the student.

[Betty_Baylor99]

Originally Posted by cordata

Lakehill Prep
White Rock North School
White Rock Montessori
Lakewood Montessori

I’m confident to chime in here and tell you that I would not consider White Rock North School if your child is elementary aged. My brother in law enrolled my nephew there as an infant and had him there until he started elementary school in Lake Highlands (RISD elementary). They were pleased with their experience but all of my friends that live in Lake Highlands could tell you that they’d rather enroll their kids anywhere else but there. One friend who loves living in Lake Highlands actually enrolled her kids in daycare by her work in Plano because she said White Rock North was never an option that she’d consider for her kids. It’s essentially a glorified day care with an advertised day school for grades 1-6 but over the years, the attendance has dwindled down to barely anyone left where I would not consider it an actual private school option for elementary ages. Most kids “graduate” from preschool and try to move on elsewhere, namely elementary schools in LH. You can easily look up the average/3 star reviews on Yelp and Great Schools dot com. The school has a lot of issues with admin and teacher turnover, and it is basically a daycare, not an actual school.

[75214Dad]

Originally Posted by debtex

That's a pretty definitive statement, and incorrect to boot as educational quality is dependent on the needs of the student.

I bet you've never set foot on any of these campuses. I have, and I know people that attended all of them. The kids with a Hexter background have far better college matriculation and life outcomes. Plain and simple.

[CMC_TX]

Originally Posted by Lostinspace78

Hello, we recently moved from Denver to Dallas. My son was going to the Aspen Academy in Denver and really loved the curriculum and the community there. A last minute move brought us to Dallas where he is attending public school at Hexter.

My wife and I are currently looking for an excellent non-faith based private Elementary school in the Lakewood/Lake Highlands area. We are not opposed to driving him further out if the merits of the school warrant it. We’d be thankful for any insight and rec’s.

Thanks

Might I recommend St. John’s? I know you said no faith based, but they accept students of all faith backgrounds & you mentioned academically rigorous. The only academically rigorous schools in that part of town are Catholic or Episcopalian. Otherwise, you will need to drive outside that part of town for what I’d consider an “excellent” private.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by 75214Dad

I bet you've never set foot on any of these campuses. I have, and I know people that attended all of them. The kids with a Hexter background have far better college matriculation and life outcomes. Plain and simple.

Samples of 1 or 2 are often misleading.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by CMC_TX

Might I recommend St. John’s? I know you said no faith based, but they accept students of all faith backgrounds & you mentioned academically rigorous. The only academically rigorous schools in that part of town are Catholic or Episcopalian. Otherwise, you will need to drive outside that part of town for what I’d consider an “excellent” private.

I'd tend to agree with you.